Africa is popular for its rich tradition. Its sculptures, weaving, beading, jewelry & dresses are in high demand throughout the world. An art form from one region of Africa may differ from the other depending on values, customs, and beliefs. Different dresses, jewelry pieces, and accessories represent the religious and spiritual beliefs. That’s why people use them in traditional ceremonies to honor their ancestors.

Today, people admire African traditional dresses, ornaments, and other things across the world. They love the uniqueness, authenticity, and richness of different African artwork. They like their modern versions that still preserve the ethnicity of African artifacts.

Africa Imports is a place where you can find almost any African clothing. You was also find beauty products, fabrics, jewelry oils, soaps, musical instruments & artwork. We have the largest selection of African and Afrocentric products at wholesale prices. Improving the lives of African craftsmen and communities is important to us. That's why we are promoting traditional African products in the international market.

In this article, we discuss different Afrocentric products in detail. These details might help you understand the depth and richness of each product. You can explain them to your customers. Also, tell them the story behind each product to convince them to buy something!

AFRICAN CLOTHING

African clothing refers to the traditional attire that people generally wear in Africa. Different dress styles and fabric types make their contribution in fashioning the garment. The fabric used to create any African garment reflects the status of an individual or group. You can witness an evolution in African dressing. This could be due to colonial impact as well as westernization.

The history of African clothing shows colors and patterns formed on the dyed cloth. These can also be on beaded attire or woven fabric strips. This distinguishes one ethnic group from another. Many tribes in Africa are proud of their handmade clothing techniques. They use old procedures even today to make these patterns and designs. The secret art forms and their unique process pass from one generation to another.

Some examples of woven and printed cloth include:

Yoruba, Nigeria

Aso Oke (narrow strip weave cloth sewn together)

Adire Eleso (indigo resist-dyed cloth)

Buganda, Uganda

Barkcloth

Asante, Ewe, Ghana

Kente cloth (woven strip cloth)

Adinkra cloth (printed with stencils or stamps)

Gonja or Batakari ‘fugu’ (woven strip, cotton cloth)

Bambara, Mali

Mudcloth or Bogolanfini (mud resist-dyed cloth)

Maasai, Swahili, E Africa

Kitenge, Kanga (printed cloth)

Kikoi, (woven cloth)

Kuba, Nigeria

Kuba or Shoowa cloth (woven raffia cloth)

Traditional African attire inspires modern African clothing. People wear these modern versions of old dresses for ceremonial occasions. They also use them as casual wear. An African dress may contain a single piece or a composed outfit that will range from simple to complex.

KAFTANS: Kaftans are the first choice of women in Africa, but they were men’s attire in the past. In modern times, both men and women wear kaftans. This outfit has two different versions. It could be one garment robe plus a hat or it can be a 3 piece ensemble paired with a hat and a scarf for final finishing to make an outfit remarkable.

AGBADA: It is a Nigerian Yoruban version of a boubou. It comes with a long, loose-fitting, often embroidered gown. It has wide sleeves and a hole in the center for the head to slide through. Earlier, it was worn over a long-sleeved tunic (Buba) and long tie-up trousers (Sokoto). A hat (chechia) completes the whole look. These days, African men have embraced the same look. But they have swapped the fabric and worn over a short-sleeved Buba.

ANKARA: It is a vibrant material with rich, colorful designs. These patterns are a form of expression. These enunciate so many things from marital status to culture, political & religious beliefs.

These days, this colorful yet lightweight fabric has become very trendy. It has even made its way to luxury designer brands. Designers use it as a base for handbags, shoes, hats, and all kinds of clothing, as well as décor items for the home. Ghana and Tanzania produce Dutch Wax fabric.

DASHIKI & MADIBA SHIRTS: These can be both formal and informal. This depends on the cloth type, style of the garment, and embroidery made on it. Dashiki is a loose-fitting pull-over shirt. It can be long or short-sleeved with a decorative embroidered V-shaped collar. It is a unisex garment and comes in different lengths, colors, and forms.

AFRICAN JEWELRY

Handcrafted African jewelry is known for its beauty and elegance. At Africa Imports, we offer African jewelry at wholesale prices. Many handmade products like necklaces, pendants, and earrings are gaining worldwide popularity. African inspired jewelry can be great gifts. These can also be used for self-adornment because of their cultural significance.

Africans have shown the tendency to use organic materials in their traditional jewelry. These materials are available in their region. They use them to construct unique jewelry pieces. Even in the present time, traditional African jewelry is in high demand. Below is a list of some of the used materials by African craftsmen.

Ivory

Carved stone

Bone

Sea Shells

Animal teeth

Animal hair

Eggshells

Wood

Amber

Glass

Africa is best known for its handmade lovely beadwork. The beads manufactured in Africa are known as trade beads. Zulu bead jewelry is produced based on long-standing customs. Their designs express important information about the wearer.

Africa craftsmen produce beautiful traditional beadwork exclusive to their province or community. At Africa Imports, we offer wholesale African Jewelry in all styles & designs. We have a lot of African inspired jewelry available at our store that is unique and stunning.

TUAREG CROSSES

These distinctive crosses are a true work of art. They are identified as such by the signature of the craftsman on the back of the piece. Written in Tomasheck or Arabic script, there are many different crosses throughout Africa. One estimate is that there are different patterns of crosses in existence.

The different crosses come from different towns and identify where people come from. They relate to ancient times before Islam. This was the time when Christianity was influencing tribes. The cross may be the same symbol as in Christianity. It also has been known to symbolize the four corners of the world.

Crosses were passed down from father to son. The father would say to the son: “My son, I give you the four corners of the world because one can not know where one will die”. The cross is often given as a gift among African people. They will say to the receiver “No matter where you go God and I will always be with you and protect you”. Many Tuareg people in Africa believe that the arms of the cross will disperse all evil. This keeps an individual away from all harm.

AFRICAN BLACK SOAP

African black soap is a natural product made from plants originating in West Africa. This soap is free from dyes, fragrances, and other additives that can take away its purity. There are several benefits of African black soap. These include:

safe for most skin types

Has antibacterial properties

Help treat acne

Help reduce fine lines

Reduce the appearance of dark spots

Reduce razor bumps

Help with makeup removal

Help reduce the impact of eczema

Have antifungal properties

Potential moisturizing effects

Washes off the skin

Has soothing effects

Don’t cause the oil to build-up

A good cleaner

Great Exfoliator

Authentic African black soap is all-natural and for most people, it tends to be safe. It doesn’t contain dyes or fragrances. There are several potential skin benefits of using African Black Soap. Soothing mild skin irritations, reduced acne & clean skin are a few of them.

NATURAL & PURE AFRICAN SHEA BUTTER

African Shea Butter is made from African Shea tree nuts. It contains rich unremovable fatty acid. This fatty acid is superior to cocoa butter and other natural vegetable butter. This fatty acid is important in revitalizing and moisturizing the skin. It provides all the essential vitamins. These vitamins will make your skin look and feel smoother, softer, and healthier. It has several therapeutic properties that protect skin from wind, cold, and sun. It also helps in healing wounds faster. Shea butter stimulates cellular activity, fights the effects of aging & repairs damaged skin.

African Shea Butter is ideal for the treatment of dry skin, eczema, and minor burns. It offers pain relief from swelling and arthritis. It improves muscle relaxation and stiffness. It also acts as a sunscreen as it contains Vitamins E & F.

Get African wholesale Shea Butter at Africa Imports. It does not expire and you have to store it in a cool place.

Wrapping Up!

African clothing, jewelry, and beauty products are getting popular in western countries. People have understood the richness and importance of these products. That's why Africa Imports provides a platform for such admirers. If you wish to start your own African stores and want to sell unique Afrocentric products, you will find almost every you need here, for very little money.